Lady claiming more benefit than she should be!

[Cheeky Chops]

Hi everyone!!

I am currently looking after 2 little girls for a lady and her partner. I work with the lady's mum and the lady part time but we work different shifts to each other. I have heard from my other colleagues that she has been boasting about how much the government are giving her towards her childcare, she is claiming £20 a week more than what I am charging her. I was :angry: when I found out and I am thinking about ringing the inland revenue to check?! Does anyone know which number it is??

Also I am putting my fees up by £20 in April so shall I not bother or what? I am unsure what to do, I was just very annoyed that she was claiming for more than I charge, they are paying the full fees as it is cheap because I know her! She owes me for 3 weeks and has only paid for 1 of those weeks so far, but yet she has been getting the benefit for 3 weeks?? so I dont know what she is doing, however she did say she would be getting the benefit on wednesday the 6th of feb (even though she has been talking to people at work telling them she is already getting it)

A lot of people at work are irritated by her because she makes a lot of things up and is a bit annoying, she is always talking to me about her money troubles and I feel its none of my business really and I dont want to know what he and she gets paid and how overdrawn they both are etc etc! so i just try change the subject when she brings it up!!


so I am asking for a number for I.Revenue and some advice on wether to check what she is claiming now or wait til i put up my fees in april and then check to see if she is still claiming more!!! thanks x x

[polobear1970]

Hi,

I'm new to childminding so don't know a whole lot but as i understand it, if is claiming it when you come to fill in your tax they may pick up on it that there is a difference.

I always give my parents a receipt for the monies they pay me which they then sign and they get a copy as well as i get to keep one (came from the NCMA) they way you have written prof.

Hope that helps

Lisa

[Trouble]

have a look in your NCMA books their should be a number in there:thumbsup:

[deeb66]

Yes I think you should definately contact IR to talk to them about it.

You do have to be a bit careful though as the information you have is hearsay and she might have also embelished a little to gain attention. When you ring just tell them exactly how much you are charging her and let them take it from there.

Also when you ring log the details of the call which would include date, time and who you spoke to.

[miffy]

The working and child tax credit helpline number is

0845 300 3900

They will be able to check it out but probably won't tell you what she has claimed

Put your prices up as planned!!!!

Miffy xx

[sarah707]

I had this a while ago and tax credits didn't appear in the slightest bit interested on the phone... confidentiality and all that...

BUT - a few weeks later I received a form asking me to confirm all the parents that were claiming on my Ofsted registration number and the amounts I was charging them...

Whether this was a double check on my phone call or not, I don't know, but I did feel they might well have listened to me :D

[Sandie]

When I get a new parent who is claiming tax credits I always send a covering letter to the IR stating date they started and how much they pay this is also signed by the parent. I also send a letter to IR when a mindie leaves stating date when left again signed by parent if possible. I keep a copy in my records and give a copy to the parent to keep.

~Sandie~

[Cheeky Chops]

yeah I know that this information could just be rumours but she herself has started to tell me something about getting more than I am charging a week, but then the lady changed the subject so I think the rumours may be right. I suppose at least if I tell them what i am actually charging her then at least it is up to them if they want to sort it out from there. at least I wont be in trouble for her mistakes. I think sending a covering letter is a great idea as well!! thanks for the tips! I will get onto IR on monday and see what they say and keep you posted!!! x x x

[berkschick]

Makes you mad doesnt it! :angry:

I wish there was a number we could/had to call when a tax credit claimer left our setting.

[angeldelight]

I would not hold my breath about contacting them I have tried this before and they did not want to know

You can contact them by phone or email though if you have a complaint

More details here

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/menus/contactus.shtml

Angel xx

[LittleMissSparkles]

I agree with whta everyone has said some great advice given xxx

and yes still amend your fee's why shouldnt you ??? :)

[button68]

I would contact the IR just because the way Big Brother is these days they may try to cross ref with yur earnings IYSWIM

My parent gets working tax credits and she is strainght as a die. The children are term time only and what IR agreed was they took her claim for 52 weeks a year and deducted 13 weeks (or how ever many school hols there are) off the total. What was left was divided by 52 to establish her weekly payment throughout the year.

It means that she has to put a bit more out of her own pocket in each week - but when the childen are off school she is still being paid (and you know how much ££££ you need in the school hols) - she sees it like a saving scheme :D

[miffy]

Makes you mad doesnt it! :angry:

I wish there was a number we could/had to call when a tax credit claimer left our setting.

I think there is a letter on the bromley website to use when a contract is terminated - the parent signs to confirm the last day the child will be coming to you

This would be useful if you ever had to prove when you stopped caring for a child

Miffy xx

[Annie321]

Hi I was given a phone number by Inland Rev just this week as a represenative came to talk about tax credits. It's "The childcare provider helpline" 0845 3003941 hope this helps. Annie:)

[sarah707]

Hi I was given a phone number by Inland Rev just this week as a represenative came to talk about tax credits. It's "The childcare provider helpline" 0845 3003941 hope this helps. Annie:)

That is a good number for everyone to have Annie, I will pin it to the top of the thread so everyone can see it! Thank you for sharing! :D

[Cheeky Chops]

thanks annie thats great!!! I will be contacting them in the morning to see what is happening x x

[Tily Bud]

Thanks for the number Annie x

let us know how you get on GG x

[Fifi]

Hope this is useful

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc5.pdf

[Cheeky Chops]

hey!!

I rang that number annie gave out today. I explained the situation and said I had just heard it as a rumour that she was claiming more than I was charging her and I was concerned that it could go against me in any way and I wasnt sure what to do about it. The lady was very helpful and took their name and address and my name as well. I asked to be kept confidential and she said all details were kept confidential as normal practice. So I feel 10 tonnes better for reporting it as it were, I dont know what the next step is, but im thinking maybe they will contact them to see how much they are giving the lady as a benefit and then contact me to see how much i am charging her.

xx

[sarah707]

I'm glad you feel better! It's awful not knowing what to do isn't it?

:D

[Cheeky Chops]

yeah it is, we will just see what happens next! x x

[Julia]

Hi

This sort of thing happens a lot around were I live, these fraudsters tend to go for newly qualified childminders (because they are a bit green) and they are very very goods at it, because once they have your reg. number thats 6 months worth of money for free before they have to fill in another form or usually get bothered by anyone.

The first year I was childminding, I got stung 4 times until eventually the last one was claiming £170 a week childcare costs, I was only charging £100 a week she brought her son for 4 days and never came back, she said she'd given up work. I subsiquently found out he un-qualified friend was minding her child using my number to claim for the childcare costs her mate was charging her. I phoned the helpline and they did her for fraud, she had to pay back all the money and got a fine.:clapping:

I have recently taken on another chiild whos mum is claiming, she tried 5 childminders in the area, as soon as they found out she would be getting the money from tax credits they all said no, I wasn't very happy to take him on but at some point you have to trust people, yesterday was her first day and I got cash of her as I dropped her son off, we'll see if he comes back next week or wether Ive been taken for a mug again :censored:

Julia

[bestmum2have]

Hi,

I would definately would be ringing them as that extra £20 will be going on your taxable earnings, they need to know dont think twice just give them a ring.

x

[Cheeky Chops]

yeah I rang them, they contacted her the same day. She told me today she had a phone call from them and I said I was under obligation to answer their questions, I had said I was charging her £xx and not £xx and she just said she had explained that inland revenue had paid her too much as she told inland revenue what I was charging her and hadnt added £20 onto it. I explained that i would be taxed on this extra and might be fined for fraud etc etc if I hadnt of told them the truth, she went into town and sorted it out, she says they are now gunna pay her the right amount. all sounds a bit of a cover up if you ask me! but at least I have rung them and told them what I am actually charging her!!

xxx